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A new way to engage Ontarians

The College’s Council – its board of directors – makes important decisions that affect the care Ontarians receive from nurses. Council makes those decisions based on evidence and best practices in regulation. It also consults people about what they expect and need from nurses.

Council recently decided to collaborate with other health regulators in supporting a public advisory group called the Citizen Advisory Group. It’s made up of a diverse collection of people who use Ontario health services as either a patient or caregiver.

People in this public advisory group do not represent any organization or interest group. The perspectives they share are their own. Following each meeting, the group publishes its reports online for all to see.

Council decided to ask the public advisory group to share its perspectives about how we communicate changes in nursing practice to the public.

Expanding a registered nurse’s (RN) scope of practice, to be able to prescribe certain medication, is a big change that is coming soon. Council is committed to ensuring the public will know how to identify if an RN is allowed to prescribe medications, what they can expect from RNs who prescribe and how their practice fits with other nurses. What better way to ensure those commitments will be met than to ask the public for advice? The group met in June and captured its thoughts.

Council’s commitment to gathering feedback through advisory groups is part of its Vision 2020 plan to modernize the way it governs. The College’s sole function is to protect the public, so Council felt implementing a public advisory group was a good first step.